More Southern California communities have cancelled or postponed the July 4th celebration as federal immigration raids are occurring throughout the region.
Among the most notable cancelled events is the Gloria Molina Grand Park summer block party, scheduled for July 4th. According to the event’s website, the postponement is being postponed “in light of recent events affecting the ongoing situation affecting parts of downtown Los Angeles and the region.”
No official rescheduling date has been announced. The website only said that the summer block party will be held in the “late summer.”
Cudahy, a city that identifies 97% of its population as Hispanic, the celebration, set for July 3, has been postponed, officials said. The park remains open and regular programming is set to continue on schedule.
Cudahy and the adjacent Bell Gardens community have cancelled concerts and two outdoor movie shows, including what was scheduled for this Saturday and what was planned for another July 3rd. City officials said the cancellations are “abundance from the wealth of attention to concerns about residents’ safety concerns regarding federal immigration enforcement activities.”
Another nearby community, Huntington Park, has also cancelled its Independence Day celebration, which was supposed to be held on July 3rd. There was no reason to cancel.
Other local, primarily Hispanic communities have cancelled their July 4th celebrations, including El Sereno, where the community’s annual Independence Day parade was cancelled this year.
All July 4th celebrations in LA City Council District 14, including many Hispanic communities in East LA, have been cancelled or postponed in the wake of an immigrant attack.
East Los Angeles resident Jordan Escobar spoke to KTLA 5’s Genekan on Monday morning and says he understands why officials are canceling the event and whether many people are not even in the mood to celebrate.
“I have families who are affected by this, and I have other friends who know who are affected by these injustice,” Escobar said. “So I understand why people are holding back [from celebrating]. I think it’s important to express our opinions. ”
